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Our Crime Sorcière[]
Invitations[]
Maria could scarcely believe it. They had met and inexplicably saved the Salamander, a Dragon Slayer they didn't know existed for quite some time, only a few months ago. After recuperation, training and spending time with the family after another debacle they were properly invited to the man's headquarters and were granted permission to meet them there under Diana's watchful gaze. Given the latest circumstances she didn't argue this time around; she was just glad some form of protection and comfort was within arm's reach.
Sitting beside Morgan, their ride was smooth and her hand was entwined with hers. She was still reeling from the information that was relayed to her. A story too real to be discounted as fantasy. But still, some part of her was incredibly glad that she was beside her and taking in what her sibling said. It did unnerve her, the things she experienced and the power she tapped into...but again, her heart beat swiftly, her cheeks warmed and her eyes fluttered whenever her thoughts drifted to her beloved sister. Smiling, she leaned her head against her shoulder, closing her eyes for what few remaining minutes was left in their ride there.
After the events in Seven, Morgan redoubled her training. Having seen what Faer Pleigh was capable of now, she had to close the gap. The fact he had been able to bring death and terror to innocent people during the tournament was her fault as far as she cared; she had failed to eliminate him during their first encounter, a mistake she didn’t want to allow. The next time the duo clashed, she would finish what she failed months prior.
After spending a few weeks to recover, she was eagerly looking forward to meeting with Prometheus, the Salamander of Crime Sorcière, who had promised to share with her secrets of being a Dragon Slayer. While she was nervous as well, the presence of her sister and Diana mitigated her worries. Her normally unflinching pride had caved into the idea of being chaperoned by the Virago Spirit given what had happened.
As promised, she explained her past to Maria, sparing little details. From her early childhood, being forced to become the disciple of the Dark Dragon King to the brutal ways Jadow would punish any failure, no matter how slight, the most common being another scar on her back. Morgan couldn’t even begin to count the number of times throughout her story that she had to stop and cry as she returned mentally to those dark days. Even though she had no measure of how often she slipped into a fit of despair, the only constant was Maria soothing the young Dragon Slayer.
Aboard the Skyhawk, the two Phoenix Sisters were inseparable as ever, and for Morgan, it was comforting in a way she couldn’t accurately explain just to have her sibling’s hand in her own. When her sister’s head rested on her shoulder, she felt her face flush and her heartbeat jolt. The feeling was unexpected but not unwelcome, in fact, she enjoyed the sensation. Content with the arrangement, she tried to prepare for the upcoming meeting between Slayers, every once in a while glancing over at Maria’s peaceful face, wondering if she felt the same.
"Do you miss him?" Maria suddenly queried, her eyes opening to look back fondly at Morgan's gaze that locked onto her smiling visage. "Your brother I mean? Ever since you talked about him with Godfried, you've been wearing that necklace ever since. I'm amazed it hadn't gotten lost or loose during your battles since then but...sorry if I'm prying."
“Of course I do.” Morgan said, subconsciously reaching up with her free hand to touch the silver-bound gem that hung around her neck, a memento of sorts that proved her brother was alive. “Roland promised to find me. I clung to that promise for two years...sometimes I think it’s the only reason I lasted long enough for Father to find me.” she finished, smiling fondly as she remembered the man who gave her the coat and sword that allowed her to survive in the wild alone. Although she still had the sheath, the blade, Yaki as it was called, was lost to her, having been dropped that fateful day on the IMAC train. One of her goals was to return the weapon to its rightful place, once more uniting the gifts her brother had provided.
"I hope you find him and return his weapon to him," She spoke encouragingly, once again closing her eyes as she rubbed her thumb against the back of Morgan's hand. "I'm sure he'd like that."
Diana called out to them that they were approaching the coordinates that their host had sent them. With that said Maria eagerly stood up and pulled her sibling excitedly along with her. Approaching the cockpit she witnessed a sight full of splendor. Whatever kind of organization the Crime Sorcière group was, they definitely didn't lack for style in places of staying.
It was a floating island, hovering over what looked like an inactive volcano. Waterfalls fell over into the ocean below with a sparkling lake being prominent in their accelerating towards it. Among the beautiful forest bordering it was stone paved paths circling the lake with a small spring in the middle of it. Beyond it on the taller part of the isle was a temple, strewn of moss and vines but still intact enough to be considered quite bountiful. Presiding in the middle of the forest was a hallowed meadow with smooth kept grass and flowers in abundance. Lowering them softly onto the earth, Diana rose up out of her seat in her Arc Armor out of cautiousness.
"Go on, I'll follow you out," She urged with a slight smile, causing Maria to pull her down the stairs possessively to be awash with breathtaking scents, colors of petals around them along with the beatuiful lake in the horizon and the temple not far away.
"It's gorgeous!" Maria gushed as she spun around out of Morgan's grip, laughing giddily before landing on her back among a host of soft blossoms so comfortable she could consider them pillows. Sighing she closed her eyes and cooed as she brushed herself against the floral bed. "Mmmm, it feels so nice to lay here. I could just fall asleep right now."
Morgan leapt to her feet as Maria pulled her to the cockpit. The sight of Crime Sorcière’s base of operations from their position was breathtaking. A floating island was the last thing she had expected to see from the foremost independent guild, let alone the fact it was suspended above a volcano.
On Diana’s order, she followed her sister out into the open. She took in the scent of all the flowers that wafted in on the breeze. Everything within sight seemed so pure and untouched for the most part, save for a few obvious signs of human intervention, it was almost scary how quiet everything was. She cracked a smile as Maria began to frolic in the flowers, resisting the urge to join in and risk being sidetracked from her goal.
“We can sleep later.” she said, chuckling as she walked to where her sibling now laid. Despite how inviting the idea sounded, there were more important matters to attend to first, questions that needed to be answered after a lifetime of wondering. The prospect of learning the truth at long last was tantalizing, so much so that she could barely stand still while waiting for Diana, filled to the brim with nervous excitement.
As Maria huffed, she felt the cosiness elevate her to near blissful calm. Rising up she looked around her with sudden blinking amazement as the bed of flowers had risen upward, slowly bending their stems to stand her upright. As she stood up the whole field of flowers parted as a beautiful velvet tulip rose out of the green field. With wide petals longer than both girls were tall and wider than the two of them combined, a woman emerged with deep emerald skin with lime colored eyes and sweeping crimson tresses that curtained onto the mouth of the foam bedded floral hold. With her pelvis and hindquarters wrapped with vines that possessed bright flowers similar to that of the meadow her own naked bosom was covered by petals that naturally came from her skin and enclosed over them. Dark emerald lips smiled with delight as she saw the visitors, breathing out what looked like a fragrance that was just delightful to Maria's sparkling senses.
"Welcome to Nirvana, our home," The woman declared with a sweeping gesture, causing the plants all to wave in a gesture that made the arriving Diana tilt her head in surprise. Placing a hand on her healthy flower enclosed breast, she declared openly. "My name is Irene. I shall guide you to our Guild Master for a proper greeting in the Guild's hall up the path from here."
"That would be nice," Diana replied with a smile, nodding to the woman as her whole body relaxed. Whether it was done from the delightful aroma coming from the woman's plants or her own body, she couldn't say but she seemed genuine in being friendly. Placing a gauntlet over her own breastplate, she pointed it to the two girls with polite introduction. "My name is Diana Lance, and I am charged with the safekeeping of one Victor Alexander's children. They are Maria Alexander and Morgan Deschain."
"Pleased to meet you," Maria hastily curtsied with her more dressy skirt with a blush flushing across her face as she smiled bashfully at the attractive woman.
"The pleasure is all mine," Irene bowed towards the heiress. Looking to Morgan she bowed with a knowing smile as well. "As is meeting the Shadow Drake our dear Salamander spoke of. He's keenly interested in sharing his own discoveries with you; though I'm sure our Guild Master is more curious about your existence than any lore sharing the two of you are anxious to start, I'm sure."
When the flower emerged from the ground, Morgan didn’t know what to think. It was so surreal and unexpected, she couldn’t imagine what was responsible, whether it was friendly or antagonistic or what the plant could herald once the petals unfurled. When an unknown person stepped out, she instinctively prepared for battle, feeling her body tense up in anticipation.
Her sense of smell, unrivaled except by a fellow Dragon Slayer, picked up a sickeningly sweet scent emanating from either the woman or the plants; she couldn’t tell for sure, it all blended together, producing a soothing effect that eased her agitated state. When the woman introduced herself as a member of Crime Sorcière, her combative instinct died down.
The new nickname struck her as funny, but she kept herself composed long enough to respond to the important part of what she heard. While she hadn’t planned for answering the questions of others, she saw no harm in it. “That’s fine. I’ll explain anything your Guild Master wants to know.” she said calmly.
"Very good," Irene replied calmly as she strut away, leading the three along the woodland path. Beautiful plants along with a host of animals seemed to look on with interest, a haven of nature all that approached the woman as if she was one of them. Brushing her hand across a particularly tall elk, she explained with a musical sigh. "We don't have many guests here, but I always love new company. Other than my comrades I only have the animals, the earth and the plants around here to commune with. If you can guess from my appearance I don't get out much."
"Are you...per chance...a Green Magician?" Maria inquired with a curious tone, her hand once again holding Morgan's by way of second nature.
"Yes, though I'm sure that definition has evolved over the last few centuries someone has practiced the art," She affirmed with a fetching smile over her shoulder. "A Mage's life force is determined by the amount of magic he or she possesses. My mastery over the art has come to the point where I merged my human body with my magic's nature. Doing this enabled me to perform spells as if I was breathing air; though I ordinarily wouldn't confront anyone like Prometheus. My magic is naturally gifted at support, rejuvenation, healing and subjugation. Though you know the old saying; never trifle with Mother Nature."
"So you do have combat experience?" Diana inquired herself with furrowed brows.
"I wouldn't be part of an Anti-Illegal Mage organization if I couldn't my own," Irene turned her head back forward, her smile faltering could be heard in the tone of her voice. "Though...I really do abhore violence. I wish Earthland never had to suffer suche an abhorrent curse."
Despite the solemn mood she had brought with her voice, a distant explosion rattled the treeline and sent animals scattering. Sighing she looked forward with aggravation as her slender legs suddenly stomped with visible frustration, "Then again! It never stays peaceful when they take sparring practice above ground!"
Reaching a clearing at the foot of the temple was a field where the path became paved up the brick laid steps of the nature adorned structure. In the field was a familiar figure combatting what looked like a beautiful young woman of bright orange hair that unfurled down to the middle of her back. With a pair of goggles placed over her head she wore heavy leather, fire retardant material as she dodged and weaved the adept Fire Drake's accelerating movements. Fiery swathes of flames came with every attack but she brushed them aside like a gentle breeze, her physical strikes quaking the ground with every impact. An invisible haze of high temperature was wrapped around her, explaining the burns sustained around the Salamander's crouched person.
"LOOK AT THIS PLACE!" Irene sudden shrieked, her eyes bulging and her temper flaring as suddenly as the scent shifted from a sedated soothing smell to one ripe and pungent. Veins bulged around her face and neck, making the Guild Master turn with a blank stare at her while Prometheus looked nervously at his colleague. With a sweep of her hand she immediately resettled the earth, growing plant matter over where explosions transpires and craters were undone. Even the place the fire-haired jacketed man was squatting in bulged and formed a flower that shot up a geyser of steam that sent him yelping off it. "I swear if it wasn't for me, you'd reduce this entire island to a barren rock; and that's being optimistic!"
"Alright, we'll try to stay underground. But for the love of all that is holy, please calm down, Irene," The woman groaned as she massaged her nostrils with closed eyes. "Your pheromones are giving me a headache. For my sake, please tone it down."
"O-Oh...I'm sorry Master Brimstone," The Plant Wizard immediately shrinked and nodded her head with shame, her face blushing as her odor changed to something pleasant once more around the trio. Clearing her throat she stepped out of the way to present the three visitors. "This here are the ones who were invited here. Missus Diana Lance, Maria Alexander and Morgan Deschain all hailing from the Phoenix Guild."
"Phoenix? That new one? Didn't know Vic had it in him to...ah, whatever," The woman waved nonchalantly as she stepped forward. With her face enamored by freckles with a slightly tanned complexion and sparkling green eyes, her red colored lips spread as she stretched her hand out to shake each of their hands. "Nice to meet ya! I'm the Guild Master of Crime Sorcière, Jasmine Brimstone!"
"...don't let her youthful looks fool you, she really is the Master here-"
"Do you want me to kick your ass as a demonstration, Meth?" Jasmine inquired dryly over her shoulder with a raised brow.
"I'm sure they got a good look," Prometheus sighed as he dusted himself off, wincing slightly from the beating he received from afar. Seeing Morgan he waved with a smile. "Yo, nice seeing ya again, Shadow Drake. Or do you just prefer being called Morgan?"
Morgan’s lips curled into a soft smile as Maria’s hand intertwined with her own. Having her sibling held so close eased her mind. She had become so used to the contact it was like second nature, as instinctive as breathing.
Irene’s words regarding her hate of violence stung the young Slayer. Almost all her life, aggression and violence were her closest comrades. She was a product of carnage and bloodsoaked nights, and the ideology that had made her was also her stock in trade. Her talents centered around bringing misery to others, taking lives without any sense of mercy. She was unable to imagine another way of existence, one brought about by peace instead of pain.
As explosions rocked the temple grounds, Morgan wondered what was going on. The peaceful landscape shook with every burst in the distance, only driving home the idea that whatever caused them was indeed powerful. Irene’s comment that it was a mere sparring session was at first unbelievable, though she quickly understood how when the group neared the source of the thunderous noise. Craters littered the area, and amid all of it was a young woman dueling Prometheus, each of their blows clashing with incredible force and sweltering heatwaves.
After being informed that the woman was in fact the Guild Master, it started to make sense how she could keep up with the Fire Dragon Slayer so easily. When the woman came over and introduced herself, Morgan shook the offered hand before looked towards Prometheus. “Just Morgan is fine. I’d rather not exactly be compared to...well, dragons.” she said plainly. Turning her attention back to Jasmine, she decided to just get to the point. “Um...I guess that you have a few questions for me?”
The Tale of the Ragnarok Beast[]
"Sure, but not here," Jasmine commented with a smile, turning to look at Prometheus as he finishes dusting himself off. "You done?"
"Licking my wounds? Yeah, I'll be fine with a snack of fire," The Salamander replied with a cheeky grin.
"Your pride in battle makes you not use your invaluable asset yet when it comes to sparring, you want to patch up those boo-boos with a little flame? You have messed up priorities, Meth."
"Will you stop calling me that? You make me sound like an addictive substance..."
"Your ego tends to be addicting to you, so it's fitting."
"Hey, my hype is real!"
"Whatever," Master Brimstone replied with hands in her pockets, leading the assembly of persons up the stone stairway. Birds fluttered around them while they ascended, taking a good minute to reach the top. Entering they'd not discover darkness but torchlight, all of which was snuffed out thanks to Prometheus. With an annoyed sigh she snapped her finger and the torches were lit once more. "Man, you can't wait for more than a minute. What are you, five?"
"Last time I checked-"
"It was rhetorical, asshole," Jasmine groaned as they walked through the initial entrance and arrived in what looked like a barren room, once used as ritualistic center. With all of them gathered at the center, she kneeled down and placed her palm onto the floor; soon it sparked and lit up in a sigil with the crest of a pentacle with fiery wings and the head of a fire shrouded man. Audible clicks were heard following the round disc descending in a jolt, becoming an archaic elevator in their motion inwards.
"Whoa," Maria marveled as they moved down tonnage of stone that had been carved out and smoothed to make the journey easier. "Did you make all of this?"
"We didn't. But long ago, when Crime Sorcière settled this as our base of operations, we made improvements. Only someone bearing the title of Master and the knowledge of our sanctum's key can enter," The Master explained smoothly, turning to smile at Morgan and Maria, winking to them in turn. "With our list of enemies we've made over three centuries, it's necessary to make sure the responsible one holds the key."
"What? You're saying I'd lose it?" Prometheus asked with a growl.
"Yes," She replied dryly, causing him to grimace but quickly recovered with a feigned look of hurt as he clenched his chest.
"Oh woman, you wound me-"
"Oh, our sparring session was just a love tap. You annoy me further, I'll see what I can do about giving you a few scars to live with."
"...I can't win, can I?"
"That's why I am Master and you are not," Jasmine sang with a heel turn and a middle finger displayed to him. "So, suck it!"
"Now who's being the mature one?" Irene grumbled with her own brand of annoyance.
"If these girls hadn't lived through what they had, I'd almost take offense you acting in such a way in front of impressionable young girls," Diana joked with a wry smile.
"A little swearing and flaunting crude gestures won't sway my heart that easily," Maria rolled her eyes with a playful smile of her own, turning to look at Morgan with a cheeky display of her white teeth. "Right?"
As they finished their rhetoric, an open display of wondrous scale was introduced. An open hallowed hall carved of ivory, outlined with gold and tiled with marble was in the middle of their immediate vicinity. Several large doors were lined behind the pillars supporting the intricately designed ceiling that arched and made the distinct impression this wasn't underground or in the middle of an island, but in a real structure. On the far hall to their left they'd see a large table with a similar set-up to what Maria and Morgan would be familiar with the briefing hold of the Skyhawk. On the far left they'd see a special doorway with intricate locks and rune seals placed over it.
"That's the debriefing hall, that's the entrance to our armory, transport system and a lot of weird shit left behind by the Guild's founder, Jellal Fernandes," Master Brimstone pointed in both directions, then swinging her arms at the various impressive doors adjacently behind the support pillars. "Those are personal quarters for us and some pathways to other functional locations within the island. It's about as basic as you can get while being in the world's largest waste of artistic space."
"I think it's beautiful," Irene remarked with a smile, one that Maria and an awed Diana could concur.
"I agree with her on that, it'd been simpler if they just make a big cave with some reinforcement. This is just begging to be vandalized," Prometheus mused with a wide, mischievious grin. One that immediately earned a dubious glance from his master, making him recoil and chuckle with nervousness. "Or...not."
Nodding away, Jasmine lead them to the debriefing hall where they saw more was within the dome shaped space was to the initial gaze. On the far end of the table from where they faced was the image of a hooded Jellal Fernandes, detail etched into a stoic gaze, effects of magic carved around his statue's pedastal while one hand held a carved sigil of light and the other held swathing inflections of darkness. Circling around would display the silhouettes and effigies of other Masters that had come after the man's time came to an end. Some looked human, others abnormal and some almost not with a recognizable visage any of them could see. The most recent one was the image of a blonde haired man with regal robes, framed by a wall of what could be detailed by marble was gems or crystals of some sort.
An honorary circle of past Masters where the current would be judged by the legend or failure of his or her actions made it more imposing than one to be revered when one thought about it.
"Now then," Jasmine sat on the far end of the circular table of mahogany laminent, sitting against her cushioned yet much more elaborate Master seat while the others had stouter backed chairs in exchange. Placing her hands in an entwined grip in front of her as she leaned back, she truly looked the part as her face contorted into a serious stoic expression. "First off, I'd like you to explain, in your own words what your relation to the man who was in Fiume di Giglio's Dark Mage Terror Attack...as the Council is calling it...and the more recent fall of the Seven Towers in Seven's current capital. Any hints to his ambitions, his motivations, his powers and his means of employing combat. Leave no detail out."
Maria sat down next to Morgan, leaning back with her eyes turned to her. In respect, Diana chose to sit on Morgan's right while Maria to the left, leaving the Dragon Slayer to be facing directly the Master of Crime Sorcière. On Jasmine's right was Irene while Prometheus chose to sit on the far left seat, feet propped up on the table's surface as he riskily leaned on the back legs of his chair with hands behind his head. When Jasmine shot a brief glare at him, he let out an angry sigh before he scooted forward and leaned forward in a hunched manner, eyes now looking at the three with intrigue as to what they'd say.
Morgan snickered as the Guild Master and Salamander bickered like children, finding humor in their antics. As Jasmine lead them up a nearby flight of stairs, it began to dawn on her how immense the building really was, it felt like the steps just kept going and going. Eventually, the group reached an empty room, causing her to silently question if the trek up was actually worth it. The activation of the hidden elevator silenced her queries.
The ride down would have been nothing major had it not been for the fact the curse of Dragon Slayers happened to rear its ugly head. Motion sickness set in and Morgan could feel nausea setting in. Having traveled so long without the crippling effect plaguing her that for a brief time, she thought it would never again haunt her. “That’s...that’s right.” she said, a revolting feeling starting to escalate from the nauseous sensation. Only when the elevator finally stopped its descent and she took a few deep breaths did she feel better.
The base was far more expansive than she had expected it to be, with various doors branching off to other areas of the guild’s base that had no bearing on the Phoenix Guild member’s visit. Upon entering the debriefing room, she noted how intimidating it had to be for whoever sat at the head of the table, forever under the eye of those who came before. It was not a fate she envied in the slightest.
Taking her seat directly across from Jasmine, she could only hope her story was enough to explain who the criminal was, what he could do, what he desired to do.
“The man responsible, Faer Pleigh, thinks he’s some sort of hero, bringing justice to the people. I’d call him insane, but he really believes in his own sense of heroism. He’s an ink mage capable of using his ink for anything he can dream up, even a form of mind control...” she started, remembering what Faer had done to her upon their first encounter. “
With a stoic visage, she pressed onwards in her explanation, knowing exactly where it was going. “I guess you can say he and I met while I was still in Sin. At the time, though, I didn’t want to know, nor did I care why he was there. I think he came because of the fact that the village I lived in is ruled by a monster. The very same monster that gave me my powers...Jadow, the Darkness Dragon King.” Whatever words were to follow that declaration were lost as a pained look crossed her face.
Calming herself, she aimed to finish the last part of her story. “Faer tried and failed to kill Jadow. For the longest time, I thought he was dead...only for him to show up and try to kill me, twice now. I think he wants to take revenge on Jadow for what happened years ago, but it’s impossible. I know better than anyone, you can’t fight that monster without the power to slay dragons...you just can’t.”
As she spoke those words, a sudden realization had occurred to the resident Fire Drake. Maria instantly saw his eyes go from intrigued stoic to palpably alarmed and then infuriated. With his teeth gnashing, his fist crashed against the table, the durable woodwork testified as it left no charred impact or tipped the entirety over. When Jasmine looked over with her own brand of surprise, she was reeled in with him as he spoke aloud, "That devious bastard!"
"What is it?" Irene inquired while the Master blinked with perplexment.
"That asshole," Prometheus clenched his fist upright, letting flames lick his bent knuckles. "He didn't randomly target the top strongest fighters. If he did, he'd have taken Maria and Lily's magic as well. No, he went for the strongest magicians knowing full well the scope of their abilities. I don't know what he wants with mister prissy, but he took my Slayer Magic for obvious reasons-"
"To enable him the ability to kill Jadow," Maria finished for him with her own stark amazement at the ingenious ploy to cover his objective. Looking over at her sister swallowed and looked a bit hopeful despite the dread in her voice. "Let's just be thankful you didn't make it into the semi-finals, less he has your powers instead of Prometheus'."
"Indeed. The attribute of Darkness as a whole is the most negative and malevolent force in this world," Jasmine concurred, her eyes sagely observing the young girl's. "You I can sense good intentions and a righteous motivation. Faer possesses no such intentions. He'd take your power and perverse it, molding it into something truly terrifying. But having fire slayer magic gives him the strongest slayer element; it is birthed for the purpose solely for destruction and will wreak havoc, regardless if his target is you or Jadow.
"But that is an issue we can resolve later. Our current motivation is to seek out evil before it unravels into chaos. Be they Dark Guilds, the Underworld or malicious beings like Ragnarok Beast. Which brings me to my next question," Master Brimstone intoned, leaning forward till her hands bridged before her face, her eyes lighting up an orange ring within her irises. "Do you know where he is?"
"What kind of question is that?" Diana intervened, her own face stricken with concern as she looked back at the girl and then forward to the master. "Are you interrogating her for Jadow's location? This girl is terrified of him-"
"I'm not asking her to fight. That's our prerogative," She replied smoothly as her eyes never wavered in the intense staredown she had with the young girl. "I'll kill him myself. Or rather, Crime Sorcière will."
"You'll die!" Maria cried out as she leaned dramatically forward, only to notice not one of them flinched at her mentioning it. Not even a flinch at the proposition of the end.
"Take a look around you," Jasmine proclaimed, her posture not changing as Maria and Diana spared a glance at all of the statues surrounding them in the dome shaped hall. "These are my predecessors. Every one of them whose taken up the mantle of Master knows exactly how short a life expectancy is. Everyone in Crime Sorcière knows it. This isn't a Guild where happiness, dreams and miracles are performed on a daily basis. We live to die for the name of justice, peace and for the betterment of a brighter tomorrow. We're a necessary darkness in this world balanced with light and shadow. Our duty is to destroy Jadow, regardless of our chances of success."
Nodding back behind them, Jasmine reclined once more on her seat, "If you don't wish to help us, then that is fine. The exit is back the way you came. But I warn you. If you do leave here, you'll never get an ounce of knowledge about the Dragon Slayers, the Dragons or any lore you'd use to give yourself an advantage. You may think I'm being unfair or that I'm extorting information about you but this is the real world. I use information to hunt my prey and exterminate them. I'm not a Legal Mage who bruises and locks them up; I kill and leave corpses in my wake. That is what it means to deal with Crime Sorcière!"
The realization that Faer’s attack meant he could potentially have Dragon Slayer magic made Morgan shiver. It made too much sense, only a Slayer could properly kill a dragon, element wasn’t really a factor so long as one possessed the nature of the magic. She had been lucky that help arrived in the form of a council member who’s magic had provided her the chance to stop the ink-user’s rampage.
What came next made the shiver into a freezing chill that permeated the very core of her being. Her expression shifted from one of stoic indifference to one of fear and confusion. The woman across the table was obviously dedicated to her job, but to willingly seek a creature like Jadow was either brave or foolish, and the heiress to the monster’s power couldn’t decide which seemed more apt. The calmness they displayed made her opt for the latter description, knowing fully what they were asking of her, far more than they did.
She was torn, either she loses access to the very reason that she had come to the meeting or she becomes an agent in a painful fate for the members of Crime Sorcière. Neither outcome was entirely right in the end, one had a moralistic high ground and the other was materialistic, and both were equally important.
“You’re insane,” she said bluntly. “Not even Father can stop Jadow and you’re saying you’d casually walk up to him and throw away the lives of your guild? You don’t know him like I do. He has no mercy, no sense of morality, he is everything wrong with the world, and his power is unmatched. I’m telling you that you have no chance of winning.” the words were brutally honest. As she implored Jasmine to give up, her voice was calm, yet there was a deathly seriousness to her words all the same.
“I won’t let you risk your life trying to kill him. Even if I never have a chance to know the secrets I want to know, it’s not worth knowing you stupidly tried to fight a dragon who’s lifetime is akin to history!”
Jasmine wouldn't show it, but she was surprised by this girl's tenacity. It wasn't even for her own sake but for practical strangers that she didn't want to see harmed. Despite being the proxy of a terrible power she had a good heart, and by the look of her sister who she cherished such company dearly, it showed alot for her character. Closing her eyes, she folded her hands while tapping it against her forehead with a verbal groan of frustration.
"Jaz," Prometheus piped in, looking at her with a more discerning expression. "Even if she did tell you where he hid out, I'm sure that the Council would have been all over it. Word from the grapevine was that the Thunder God Saint poked his head in a village years ago at Sin. It's an empty wasteland; nothing alive is out there and I don't think Jadow would hang around an empty place for so long. He might have moved on since then, so any info she has might be too dated."
"He raises a good point," Irene nodded with affirmation, looking to the two girls with a smile. "Plus, I doubt she'd ever trade our lives for power, even if she badly yearns it."
"Fine-Fine-Fine," Jasmine rolled her eyes with reluctance, unfolding her hands while leaning back on her seat with a lopsided smirk. "It seems your gamble paid off, little Slayer. I won't force you to give me information on the Ragnarok Beast; but if you do remember something important, please make me aware, kay? That being said, Meth," The Master rose from her seat as she looked to him with a raised brow. "Take her to the library, won't you?"
"Course."
"Good," Master Brimstone smiled with acknowledgement as she stared at her rising guests. "If you'll excuse me, I need to monitor Ishgar's current news feed. Wanna make sure that Faer guy isn't stirring up trouble; let alone some other radicals or Dark Guilds taking advantage of the chaos in Seven. I'll holler if I find something out."
Rising and departing in different directions, Prometheus passed them by along with a relieved Maria and a satisfied Diana. Thumbing him towards the hall, they began their trot away from earshot of the other two as they went their separate ways.
An Alarming Discovery[]
"You're lucky I stuck my neck out for ya. Jasmine's almost as stubborn as I am, so she may have just kicked you out for the principle of it," The Salamander commented under his breath.
"I do appreciate you taking a stand for her," Diana remarked coolly.
"Tch, I'm not a softie but even I can see when something is unreasonable. Doubt she knows his every move like they got a mind link or something bizarre...right?" Prometheus turned to look at her dubiously, as if the possibility was up in the air.
Morgan waited for the eventual fallout from her choice, being sent back empty handed. She had already accepted that she had made her bed and had to lay in it. No matter what was placed in front of her, she had no desire to see anyone fall prey to Jadow’s evil, especially not if she was leading them to the monster.
When Prometheus revealed that the village was destroyed, she had no idea how to feel. She suspected that it was her fault, but there was no sense of guilt. She hadn’t been close to the people on any level, having been forced to be their sacrifice to a mad god. They had all treated her like a thing to be used, a shield from the misfortune that befell them.
“If Jadow’s not there...he could be anywhere.” she thought, the worst case scenario of her life coming to fruition. If he was on the move, there was nowhere that was safe. She ground her teeth together in order to keep herself from screaming in a panic-fueled tirade.
Jasmine caving in was the opposite of what Morgan had expected to happen, even with Irene and Prometheus backing up her words. She silently got up and followed the older Slayer out the door, still shaken up knowing that her tormentor could be anywhere, at any point.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that hearing Prometheus address her caused her to jolt with surprise.“I have no link with him like that. Until you said it, I had no idea what had happened to all of those people. I didn’t even know he left his cave.” she replied, her voice shaking.
"It's okay, you're with us," Maria assured her sister as she noticed how shakey her demeanor was now. News of Jadow being loose probably made her even more paranoid than even being aware where he was lying in wait. Her hand clasping hers told her just how much she was feeling the effects of her former tormentor.
The sudden hand ruffling her head from Diana caused the sibling to look up with awe and wonder when she shared her own maternal smile.
"Morgan, you're no longer his prisoner," She told her directly in a soft yet sincere voice. "You're free. Free to pursue your dreams, free to live in happiness, and free to confront him on your terms. When you face him in the future, you won't be his puppet; you will be your own woman and he will feel your scorn for the years of torture he put you through. Never forget, no matter how bad things get, your family will support you no matter what."
It warmed Maria's heart to hear the Virago Spirit so kindly. She swore she could be their big sister despite her origins. It was the fact she had been acting far more caretaking since the incident at Fiume di Giglio that struck her as almost odd. But given how long she's lived in her company she had always been that big sister or aunt she never had. Given the rarity of spending much time with her beloved mother it was a treasure to have her company around.
Prometheus could be felt rolling his eyes with a scoff made aloud, "Cut out the mush, you're gonna make me gag. Alright, saved by the door!"
During his announcement, he pushed open a tall door, leading in a spray of light to witness an enormous open space. Full to the brim with shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls and parchments of all kinds, the smell of dust and air freshner filled the atmosphere. With spiraling stairs leading to multiple floors of the data they could search through, every cabinet was spotless and clean, with only the aged to new contents collecting and releasing dust into the air. It made Prometheus cough and sneeze as he entered in the book collection, but waved his sleeved arms around with his back to Morgan.
"Here it is! The Crime Sorcière Library! Pick your poison cause I'm certain we'll be here for awhile," The Drake announced as he turned to acknowledge the guest Slayer with a dubious raise of his eyebrow.
When Maria grasped her hand, Morgan smiled, feeling herself regain some semblance of calm. Diana’s affectionate gesture and kind words gave her a feeling hope, one she had lost in her moment of fright. “I’m free...” she repeated, creating a mantra that inspired her despite all the fear she had felt. Her countenance improved drastically and her smiled widened into a toothy grin.
Entering the library, she saw the enormity of the room, taking in the sight. The scent of old books overwhelmed her sense of smell. As she looked around, she broke out into a sudden sneezing fit that lasted a few seconds as dust invaded her nose. Once the bout of sneezing stopped “Come on Maria!” she said excitedly, dragging her sister over to a nearby shelf, looking for any books that were centered on Dragons and their maligned heirs, the sort of knowledge that she had desired for some time, the kind that she hoped could give her an upper-hand against her former overlord.
As she'd be brought along, she noticed a sudden trail of warm tongues of flame crawl up the book shelves and etch over the spines of parchments to hard cover novels or biographies. None of it burned and it seemed to carry to multiple partitions of the library. Looking over to Prometheus, the fire ebbed from his right sole, a wry smirk stretched across his face.
"My Burning Trail can lead you to the stuff I've read or know is related to Slayers of the past, their spells and more recent discoveries. Everything else is free game and you can find at your leisure," The Fire Drake explained, taking a walk towards the nearest comfortable chair. Propping his legs up near a shelf he covered his eyes lazily with one sleeved arm and let the other hand by him. "Wake me if you find something you want collaboration with."
"For someone so driven, you are incredibly lazy."
"I'll take that as a compliment, woman," Prometheus replied candidly to an annoyed Diana.
"Come on, let's gather as many books as we can and find a table to comb through it!" Maria gushed with excitement, already picking up burning text that defused the moment she pulled it from the spell's line of contact. As she grabbed the items she couldn't help but be excited. To learn more about her hobby passtime with her sister was going to make it even more entertaining than doing it by herself. Not to mention a lot of these texts were old, centuries even!
The possibilities were endless to what information was stored onto each documented parchment.
Morgan took a step away from the shelf as a web of bright flame covered it, branching to other shelves. She took notice of any books where the fire stopped its progressive march, amazed that nothing was consumed in the flaming trail, until Prometheus revealed his role in its sudden arrival and its purpose. It would make the search for valuable information easier, and she was thankful for it.
She followed Maria around, grabbing as many of the marked books as she could, wondering what was within the myriad of old tomes, the secrets that were hidden for so long. “Yeah, we should start going through this stuff.” she said, agreeing with Maria’s idea. She knew that her sister would enjoy being able to learn about Slayers for the sake of it alone instead of a desire for the power it could uncover within herself. To her, it didn’t matter if her sibling had a different motive for their research, just that they could work together to uncover the unknown truths.
Time would elapse as the study material was laid out before them. Both girls surged through pages upon pages of those describing their findings, to personal theories and historical texts involving the Slayers of old and even long gone. Even the battle involving the members of Sabertooth and Fairy Tail against the dreaded Tartaros was brought up as the most prominent examples. From what was elaborated was most intriguing, given it was a battle of epic proportions and nearly ended the world of magic for all of Earthland.
"Lumen Histoire filled the whole continent with Infinite Magic, destroying the foundations of the FACE weapons while temporarily covering the entire landscape in sparkling starlight," Maria read aloud from a particular book texted, 'Devils and Dragons, accounts of our Final Battle by Lucy Heartfilia,' a name talked highly within the Council. "From this light, two particular Slayers drank in the light of this strange everlasting pool of power. One was Natsu Dragneel who used its overwhelming power to destroy the Black Wizard, Zeref. The other was Sting, who too drank in the element of his nature along with its bounty of Ethernano to give him a large boost against Acnologia, the Dragon of Death. Both of them seemed to have died in the process to absorbing too much energy their bodies could withstand."
Looking up at Morgan tenderly, smiling a bit nervously at her sibling with caution in her eyes, "It seems even those of legend had limits. Limitless power seems to come at a terrible price, doesn't it?"
Morgan looked up from her most recent text while Maria read from another, a story of Slayers long dead and how they temporarily gained infinite power, something called Fairy Heart. At first, the prospect of obtaining such a concept was appealing, but the end of the story sobered her up instantly, revealing the price of such power. She questioned the worth of gaining such might, and by extension her revenge against Jadow, if she had to pay with her own life.
Looking at her sister as she concluded the story, a part of her thought for sure that Maria could tell exactly what she was thinking. “It seems like it does. I wonder why they just died like that though. Maybe the body just can’t use that much energy without falling apart after a while.” she replied, offering a theory as to what could bring about such a miserable end.
"It'd make sense. Infinite power isn't something any human being should have," Maria declared, leaning back with the thick book in her hands. Skimming through, she focused on some interesting aspects of the accounts that were documented. "Apparently, a particularly skilled Slayer by the name of Wendy Marvell, the Sky Maiden, was an astute support mage. She was able to increase the strength, speed and durability of her allies while also being able to multiply her own abilities before gaining the form of Dragon Force. Seems like it explains why you're able to take on boosts of power fairly easily despite not training with them."
Stroking her chin, she began to ponder aloud while looking at the intriguing design of the domed ceiling.
"If someone like Faer could steal the attributes of a Slayer and make it their own, I wonder if his whole body would be changed? I mean, he doesn't have that power thanks to us destroying his doppelganger. But still...is it possible for you to steal the Darkness within a person by not eating their shadow...but consuming the essence of taint within their soul?" She shuddered at the implication of what it could mean. While it was pure hypothesis, the ability to take in evil and embody it was a fearsome ability if it was true. She could only wonder if her sister thought that it was feasible...something to ask her father about when they got back.
"What do you think, Morgan?" The sibling inquired with a few blinks as she set the book on her lap.
Morgan was silent for a time. The questions asked of her only beget more questions, leaving her without answers. She thought for a while, thinking of all the times her powers had explosively grown, pushing her to higher levels. As she thought back on all of her battles, a common factor seemed to appear. In all of her struggles, she had always gained the power not from a desire but the need of it. But it was the other source of her growth that allowed her to step back and see another piece of the real answer to how her powers evolved so rapidly. She realized that in almost every instance, her sister was there alongside her, and that it was her love for her sibling that allowed her to manifest extreme levels of power. And yet, it still made no sense to her, a being of darkness growing strong through positive emotion seemed paradoxical in a way.
The more pressing question was if she could do as Maria wondered and eat the darkness within a being’s soul rather than just its shadow or the darkness present already in the world. The question made her curious as to the limits of what she could truly consume. “Perhaps. It’s not something I’ve ever thought of, but I should be able to...I am the Night Eater after all.” she said, smiling. “If I can eat the whole night I might have the means to eat more abstract sources too.”
"Magic isn't defined by science, but by what we can possibly conceive. It's just a matter of utilizing the right kind of mindset and mastery over Ethernano within the environment and ourselves," Maria responded intellectually, closing the book and setting it on the desk. "If we limit by what is familiar, then there wouldn't have been a feasible way to get as far as we have technology-wise like father has, and those before him. Without visionaries, we are stuck in the past and unable to move forward. Only by taking risks and stepping into the unknown can we make any progress."
Giggling, she covered her mouth and looked more playfully at Morgan, "I'm sorry, when I get into reading I end up talking at a maturity that's beyond me. I hope I don't sound pretentious like some know-it-all in the Council-"
"...are you fucking with me?!"
A loud shout rang within the library. With a start, Maria looked over her shoulder down to an upright Salamander. He was holding a couple of fingers to his temples, a clear sign he was using telepathy. Veins bulged around his face and a feral snarl etched over his visage. The expression only softened when he let out an undignified snort and nodded.
"Yeah, I'll bring them. I'm sure they don't want to miss this," Prometheus finished, releasing his hold on his temple to be flanked by a concerned Diana.
"What's the matter?"
"The asshole we were talking about before? He's making his next move, right now. We're just lucky enough to know about it before anyone stupid enough tries their hand at stopping him."
"Are you suggesting you bring the girls along? They barely survived the last time-"
"I'm sure they'll want to go, one way or the other, without your consent," Prometheus finished with a pair of hands propped on his hips. By this point, Maria had scooped up a few books with her while her sister she figured followed behind. The Fire Drake turned to address them properly with hands in his pockets, while Diana rolled her eyes and crossed her limbs across her chest. "Faer Pleigh has made his move. I'm sure you and the Night Eater want to join in."
Ignoring his toothy smile at nicknaming Morgan again, Maria stared seriously up at him with a nod, "Of course. We can't let him get away after what he's done! What is his plan now?!"
"The Black Vox," Prometheus spoke soberly. "He's attacking it as we speak. We believe he's going to attempt one of the most dangerous and insane plans of breaking someone out of that prison for the most pathologically and unstable Mages in the world. If they break free, who knows what the collateral will be after this."
Morgan silently agreed with her sister’s logic. The most obvious way to rapidly expand her ever-growing control over the dark was to push the very understanding of what she thought was possible, redefining the limitations of her art. As Prometheus’s shout alerted her to trouble brewing, she left the tome she had been reading behind to follow Maria.
When she heard that Faer was once again responsible for the attack, she steeled her resolve. “Of course I want to go. Besides that, I’ve got the best chance against him, I know his powers better than anyone.” she said bluntly. “If anyone else tries to take him down, it might end in disaster.” She looked at Diana pleadingly. “You have to let us go. We can actually do some good.”
Diana thought hard on the matter.
She didn't want to recklessly endanger the girls of her own volition. Tasked with the protection of her master's daughters, she loved them as if they were own flesh and blood. To make matters worse she hadn't the faintest idea if her judgement was compromised because of her relationship blossoming with her master or her closeness with the two girls. Biting down on her lip, she furrowed her brows and reflexively raised her ring-wearing hand as if to call Victor. Then, she shook her head and smiled with resignation.
"Fine," The Virago Spirit relented, turning to raise a threatening gauntlet wrapped finger at Prometheus. "But if things get too dangerous, I'm pulling them out. I don't care how laidback and unconcerned you are of them, they're in my charge. Got it."
"You think I give a shit if they can't hold their own? You're clearly talking to the wrong person," The Dragon Slayer announced with a guttural chuckle. Turning his gaze at the pair, he narrowed his eyes particularly at Morgan. "This is a Crime Sorcière mission. Chances of coming back unscathed aren't high. Make sure you can rely on yourself above anything else; even before you think about others. Otherwise, you're just a meat shield waiting to be butchered."
"We'll do just fine, so long as we stick together-"
"Do you think the enemy will care for teamwork? Their first objective above anything is to split you apart. Remember your training and seek survival before anything. Victory doesn't have to come into the factor here. We're fighting against a bona fide psychopath who slaughtered thousands without a second's thought," Prometheus lowly seethed, turning to turn away from the three of them, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked away straight-backed. "And you won't always have someone there to save you either. Be selfish, for once, and think of yourself when you have no one else to lower a hand to you. That's how I've lived as long as I have."
"Yet, I recall we saved you," Maria countered just as quickly. Despite the grimacing expression she had of his speech, she took some bittersweet enjoyment in watching him briefly stop walking. He didn't turn to look at them, but he did raise a hand to flip the bird; followed by a come hither gesture. Rolling her eyes she reached a hand out to Morgan to hold, smiling brightly at her despite the grim warning. "We'll never stray apart for long, that's why we're the Phoenix Sisters."
Morgan’s eyes widened in worry as Diana reached for her ring. Although she was sure Victor would have given his okay, there was always the off chance things would be different. She was relieved when the Virago Spirit agreed to allow her and Maria to take part in the coming battle without contacting their father for permission. Having blamed herself for Faer’s continued rampage, the only cure that she could conceive for the gnawing frustration and anger born from that self-blame was to stop him once and for all. Nothing would stand in her way.
Prometheus’s glare was intimidating, as was his tone as he gave the girls his advice. The words stung but she could admit there was truth to them. Those that they would soon wage battle with had no qualms with acting without any semblance of respect or honor. Teamwork, while effective if allowed, would be the first opening they would exploit only because of its effectiveness.
She scowled as the Fire Dragon Slayer walked away. Gripping Maria’s offered hand, her expression changed to a smile. No matter how irritated she was, no matter the source of that irritation, her sister’s touch eased her mind. “We’ll always be together. No matter what happens.” she said, nodding in agreement.